Report: Peter Kenyon heading consortium to take over Everton

Does anyone seriously think Farhad will give two flying ones if it's built? He wants his money and to scram.

It's in the lap of the gods now whether this consortium is the real deal or the new Burnley. Let's hope for the best. One unalloyed piece of good news is that that total fuckwit is selling up.

The positive is we wouldn't have Moshiri involved which for me is a massive plus.

I hope they understand the trainset model of mediocrity.

“Thornton is worth £31 Billion” — Are you sure?

The company he works for is worth £31 Billion… I think Thornton is worth a lot less, over £30 Billion less!!

Say what you like, but Americans know how to run big businesses

Moshiri needs to sell and recoup his wasted cash.

If we're going to reject owners/funders on ethical grounds, we really ought to have started with Green and then Usmanov whose accountant is our current proprietor. The moral ship sailed long ago, possibly when we signed up along with everyone else to the Skybollox.

It's not football now though, it's a game of "We've got loads more money, okay!"

Early signs are worrying, if this turns out to be a leveraged buy out, then Kenwright needs to be front and centre raising the alarm whilst there may be an opportunity to 'scare them off'.

If we end up getting sold, and Kenwright says post the sale 'I wasn't able to find out how they were financing it' that won't wash.

It's been doing the rounds since Richard Keys said we were being touted around for interest. It seems Moshiri has had enough and wants out, especially as his best mate is no longer behind him. I just think this story has legs...and any other bit..

I wonder if Moshiri will keep an interest but sell 75%?

I believe that most clubs are for sale at the right price.

To become owners of Everton you have to have the majority of shares and as Moshiri through his Blue Heaven Holdings Limited holds over 92% of shares he will have the benefit of selling his.

Bill Kenwright only holds 1.72% of shares so there is no need to even discuss a sale with him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspire_Academy

Whilst there may be a number of moral issues this would seem a more logical route for a sale, with perhaps Cahill coming in as CEO.

Even when they really piss me off which is obviously quite often and I really, truly hate them, I still absolutely love them. I would go to the end of the earth and die for them if I thought it would help.

Needless to say, I find comments like that completely alien but each to their own.

I'd certainly welcome this if there is an ambition to improve the club on and off the field, year-on-year, together with promoting a positive brand of football and we can be seen to be competitive whilst heading in an upwards trajectory.

Above all, I want those at the club that actually are interested in seeing this club progressing and looking for some level of success in the longer term, that clearly comes with a plan.

People with a vison and strategy will certainly be welcomed. Out with the old and in with the new.

The devil(s) you know? Trouble is while we 'know' him – we also know he doesn't have the first fucking clue about football, or, looking at the money wasted, business either.

If any new guys can get us running even remotely well, then let's give them a go. Even 'In a half arsed manner' would be a significant step up.

Like we have any actual say anyway.

Where's the value of £500M come from, as the new ground at Bramley-Moore Dock, will be worth or in excess of this figure.

I hope this doesn't impact pre-season plans and any transfer activity, as next season must be a new starting point for Everton.

To quote a New Model Army song… "for every winner means a loser in the Western dream".

Maybe if things go south for Trump there will be some PAC money available for some investments to keep Vanky and Jared flush.

While I agree he doesn't have a clue about football, to say that multi-billionaire British Iranian businessman Farhad Moshiri doesn't have a clue about business is mental. I'd love to be that clueless, then I wouldn't be worried about inflation etc.

Maybe we should all calm down about a link to someone until we know what that link is?

Seems to me like we love a bit of self-righteous fume and virtue signalling on TW.

The righteousness is coming from those who are criticizing his decision not to be associated with that kind of support. It's each fan's call and they don't need anyone else advising them on morals or standards.

If this means that we are run better and we see the end of Kenwright, I'm behind it.

While Thornton is a bigwig in Barrick Gold, a company that is worth $32Bn, I can't find his worth. Kaminski is connected to Talon Real Estate Property Holdings which has a worth of $5M+ and in 2019 was reported worryingly whether it was a going concern or not.

Again I can't find his worth either. But have looked on Forbes and they are not listed as billionaires.

This smacks as a leveraged buy as someone else has suggested and I do believe the stadium will be built then they will sell it again. When you have Chelsea being sold at £4Bn, that makes economic sense.

I suppose they would have to invest in the team to remain in the top flight but, for me, it's a risky experiment.

My feeling is that part of the reason for that was the disruption caused by Carlo leaving, the appointment of Benitez, the sacking of Brands, the selling of Digne, and then the fight over the appointment of a new manager. Their heads must have been spinning.

I was hoping for a period of stability while our new manager rebuilds the squad and the owner delivers on his promise to build the new stadium.

If they're proper businessmen who will hire proper football people to run the club, that would be a good start. Hard to imagine anyone doing worse than the current owner and chairman have.

Peter Kenyon as chairman would be a huge upgrade on Bill and Barrett-Baxendale.

Talon Real Estate invest in industrial and commercial properties and they could be sniffing money to be made in the north end docks area.

Swerve.

The current incumbents exemplify that strategy (except Moshiri has exposed himself to worldwide ridicule on account of his all too public buffoonery).

He's now placed his and our very own bollocks in the grasp of the very next shyster to buy into us as the next benefactor, regardless of the views of the fanbase. Meanwhile, the self-termed world's greatest Evertonian remains silent until he sees how he personally can best profit.

Suck it up, again, fellow Blues, and cheers Farhad but your apology doesn't begin to cover it.

More important, it seems it will change the financial blame as the new consortium can't be held to blame under FFP for the sins of the outgoing directors.

Thus, Everton should be back in transfer moolah… Bring it on!

Thornton is said to be a close associate of Steve Bannon, notorious extreme right-winger, uber-capitalist and reputed white supremacist (actual white supremacist, not the contorted and stretched definition of what is actually white predominance that is now all the rage) who was once Trump's right-hand man before the orange numpty turfed him out on his ear.

There's also a photograph doing the rounds on Twitter of Thornton lunching with Bannon and Nigel Farage in London and he was apparently a special Trump envoy to China during the trade negotiations a few years ago.

There's plenty you could say and many are saying it but I would argue that if Alisher Usmanov's involvement (which may have extended as far as shadow owner, depending on who you believe), wasn't a red line for you then having a Bannon/Trump acolyte involved in the financing of a consortium buying out Everton probably shouldn't be either.

Not that that makes it palatable, of course, but as we're seeing across the Premier League now, the kind of money needed to buy football clubs these days is dirty in ways you probably don't want to know about.

Elite-level football has become a very grubby arena indeed.

Moshiri has been an unmitigated disaster, in my opinion. Less than 2 years before he bought the majority shareholding, we finished 5th with our record Premier League points total. Since then, no European campaigns and one of the closest shaves with relegation in our history. Money has been spunked up the wall while vision and strategy have been non-existent.

Moshiri's only saving grace is securing a new stadium, assuming it continues apace. I believe it was always Moshiri's intention to build a new stadium and flip the club for a profit. His plans may now have been accelerated with the sanctioning of Usmanov.

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Moshiri may even have put feelers out looking for potential new buyers. While this deal still seems a long way off, time will tell whether it could be a net positive.

The report doing the rounds this evening about the Peter Kenyon consortium states they want assurances about possible FFP ramifications, before it says Everton are confident of no wrongdoing.

Well, if the club is sold to new owners or investors, are they going to be culpable anyway... Or would it be a clean slate? Does anyone have a clear answer on this?

Barrick Gold, of which he is chairman, is one of the most contemptible corporate entities on earth, undisputed perpetrator of human rights abominations in Tanzania and New Guinea:

Murder, rape and claims of contamination at a Tanzanian goldmine

Porgera United Human Rights Organizations Joint Statement

John Thornton makes Newcastle's new Saudi owners look like Nelson Mandela. If this scumbag is involved in this proposal in any way, it should be blown off the table with a water cannon.

While Morshiri's finances have taken a huge hit from the current world situation, plus the money he's blown already on the club, Usmanov has taken a far greater blow.

Rumours of the club being for sale were being floated back in January and February time. This could explain the timing, as it's a bit odd that he'd be willing to sell now. You would've thought he would wait until the stadium was finished, which would add considerable value to the deal.

Without Usmanov's wallet, and the FFP mess his own reign has caused, we're in probably in a worse state than when he first got here. Instead of ploughing his own money into the project, he probably wants out before even more losses.

What will be interesting though will be if he sells up the rumoured interest he has in property and land around the city, especially close to the docks.

American owners, on the other hand, tend to focus purely on the profit, to hell with sentiment and tradition. This consortium sounds like the worst type of American owners. They will get their profit even if it means burning down the house.

They'd probably sell the new stadium to the red shite, pocket any profit, and move our "franchise" in with Tranmere. I just hope some of the other prospective buyers are a bit more credible.

Makes sense that he's had enough but, with his recent apology and backing of the stadium, it just adds to a more confusing and destabilizing future.

Anyway, why the American bashing? Every investment in a football club is, well, an investment. The investors put money in to get money out with the aim of trying to achieve success.

Sir John Moores was no different.

And sorry to risk being reprimanded by Michael for over mention, but that lot haven't done too bad being run as an effective business by US owners. Success followed on the pitch.

And if there is truth in this, we do have an individual who has been on the board of two of the most successful clubs in English football over the past few decades leading it, for those who want the sports club experience tick in the box.

If it's true. But clearly we appear to be for sale. Let's wait and see where this one goes before throwing dummies, spitting froth and getting overly emotional. We haven't sold to Donald Trump just yet.

Yes. The endless rule-changes aside, I love the actual game — as it pertains to 11 v 11 on the pitch — as much as ever, obviously, but I'm thoroughly disillusioned with FIFA, UEFA, the obscene imbalances at the top end of the big five leagues, VAR, again, IFAB, dicking around with the rules, and, yes the ugly side of club ownership.

When you've got clubs owned by countries and sovereign wealth funds, something is very off.

Of course Everton in it's present condition will attract interest, which could be undesirable interest, such is the Premier League. I can see the latter giving assurances regarding status, if money is available. They will have no qualms about that, for sure.

This is just newspaper talk at present and yet this thread is full of pessimism. Why not calm down and just wait for some definite news? It's not as though we have any say in the matter anyway.

Everton can't buy and sell players while the club is being sold!

Let's see where this takes us.

August and the first match. That's my current focus. What will be will be. All we can do is follow like we always have and will do. In person or in spirit from afar.

We as fans need to be actively involved in any takeover of our club, we will need assurance that Frank and his staff remain in charge.

Have you ever wondered why the likes of Kenyon would be operating from Jersey? He's just another tax dodger and knows the Inland Revenue can't touch him while he lives there.

Seems as if this getting into the press might be or is a way of forcing other parties' hands. Smoking out those who are interested in essence.

With interest rates across the world rising rapidly, one fears an Everton takeover financed on debt would ruin us.

I'm watching with interest. And no little alarm.

Oh, hell, now it's Man Utd's cast-off executives.

"We shall not, we shall not be moved..."

Reading up on these guys, their combined worth is around £1.5Bn or something... sounds like a Glazier takeover funded with bank dept. For all Moshiri's mistakes, I feel more comfortable with him than the sound of this.

"Barr: Trump became 'detached from reality' after 2020 election loss"

"Twice in the final months of the Trump administration, the country's top military officer was so fearful that the president's actions might spark a war with China that he moved urgently to avert armed conflict. In a pair of secret phone calls, General Mark A Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, assured his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng of the People's Liberation Army, that the United States would not strike."

"James Mattis, the esteemed Marine general who resigned as secretary of defense in December 2018 to protest Donald Trump's Syria policy, has now broken his silence, writing an extraordinary broadside in which he denounces the president for dividing the nation, and accuses him of ordering the US military to violate the constitutional rights of American citizens."

"More than 200 retired generals and admirals endorsed Joe Biden for president in a letter published Thursday, saying he had the character and judgment to serve as commander-in-chief instead of President Donald Trump, who 'has demonstrated he is not equal to the enormous responsibilities of his office; he cannot rise to meet challenges large or small. Thanks to his disdainful attitude and his failures, our allies no longer trust or respect us, and our enemies no longer fear us,' the letter says."

As long as the two above mentioned morons depart in haste, I don't care if even Old Nick buys us.

What a disgrace we've become.

Like you, Colin, I'd be pleased to see the back of both Kenwright and Moshiri – but I do want that stadium built. It's a necessary part of our modernisation.

As for the future on the pitch, hard to say. Without Saudi-level money, it's very hard but not impossible to compete.

As for this being a good deal, I have no idea. As a long-time Everton supporter, I live in hope of at least a whiff of our former glory. Even a Moyes era Champions League qualification would be nice.

However, it is not the money (we saw that with Moshri), it is people who know football and who have a vision and long-term strategy that we need.

These entities are either looking to make easy money on real estate or to place debt onto clubs. The only other options are the washing of dirty money or the "cleansing" of monstrous murdering regimes. What a world we live in.

It makes our neighbours' US sports franchise look positively angelic.

Sadly this sorry saga is likely to run and run, just when I was beginning to look forward to the new season.

I think my overriding memories will be the number of sub-standard managers and players that Everton have recruited, that have led somewhat to our demise on the pitch.

From what should have been a golden era for Everton, it has turned most of us into quivering wrecks, because of mismanagement.

Moshiri has the vision of a future Everton at a new stadium, with what appears to be a business plan to put this in place. It is the actual footballing side of his era that is concerning.

We have a few good players that, in my opinion, we should keep and add to, if we are to show any ambition on the footballing side. If we sell our best players, to raise money and balance the books for FFP reasons, then we are back on the merry-go-round of uncertainty, buying players in the hope that they will improve the team, and our Premier League status.

As a long-term Everton supporter, who has seen the highs and the lows, I want to see us in the Top 4, in the Champions League, winning domestic and European trophies, as we used to do. Is that too much to ask?

Let's be fair, the club couldn't be more Amateur Hour if it tried, could it? We need to move forward with strong leadership upstairs. The day Moshiri, Kenwright, and Barrett-Baxendale start clearing their lockers won't be a day too soon.

Even if it's not this consortium, we can safely say it's going to be someone else. It's out there now. UTFT.

Whoever finally buys Moshiri out, there will be dissension from the fanbase. Personally, it doesn't bother me who owns the club as long as they leave the running of the club to knowledgeable professional business people who in turn bring in football people on the playing and recruiting side.

Oh yes, and get rid of the present incompetents.

I don't care who owns it as long as there is money for a squad rebuild.

Telegraph reporting sales negotiations are taking place. Stadium still rising out of the ground. Perhaps the stadium will be a gift? He strolls off into the sunset with Usmanov.

Perhaps it's the end game for Moshiri. Had enough. Doesn't need the aggravation. I hope he shuffles off with Bill. You can but dream.

Doesn't look like a huge Saudi type takeover but the new stadium is clearly the attraction, isn't it.

Will we miss Moshiri? No, in a word…

As much as I am infuriated by Moshiri's wasteful reign, I would not want this consortium to replace him.

At least Moshiri likes football. This smacks of making money at any cost (to us) by hard-nosed, morally questionable football philistines.

There are other big fish in the polluted sea.

If this goes through (or if not), I hope he has learned to get proper people in if he insists on being an absentee owner. We as fans just want to be relevant again… well me personally. The ethics of the owners are well down the pecking order as long as they have experience as a CEO and Chairman at the top end of the scale.

Most here were delighted to have the Moshiri take over and look at the backwards steps we have endured since.

I love Everton Football Club dearly and would really love to have some capable minds running the club in a modern and professional way; I think this consortium would probably do that given their history.

But personally I do care who the club gets into bed with and John Thornton especially seems a nasty piece of work. Admittedly, it's hard to find many (any?) billionaires with clean consciences but I think white supremacist and multiple human rights violations feels a step too far for me. But, as Lyndon says, I guess that's the way the game is going.

Wonder if Red Bull fancy buying their first Premier League club?! I would love us to become part of that network – and they already have their man Kevin Thelwell in place.

Then again, Chelsea have just been sold for over 8 times that figure – and there were other unsuccessful bidders (including Sir Jim Ratcliffe) interested in investing at that sort of price.

Ultimately, a football club is worth what someone is prepared to pay.

It's a crying shame, not just for us but for the whole of football. We may not be the most successful club around these days, but we are something of a throwback to the pre-Sky era, with our scruffy old stadium, local fan base, community outreach, and – yes – even our ridiculous Chairman who has been a fan all his life.

Of course, a club is really just its fans. And we are a family club more than most others. The RS might be the dominant force in our city, but the vast majority of their fans have little or no connection to Liverpool. We're the opposite – if you see an Everton shirt on your travels, it's a delight, a rarity, the sign of a free-thinking maverick, not a glory-hunting knob.

And that's the important thing. I fear there are some turbulent times ahead, but what we need to do is ensure that the spirit of the Blues remains intact – whoever owns us, whoever plays for us, whoever manages us.

We know that, before becoming Everton manager, Ancelotti had a 3-hour meeting with Usmanov, who isn't even a shareholder. Also Benitez spent a couple of days on Usmanov's Yacht before agreeing to become the manager.

So when both the European Union and the British Government sanctioned him, then it probably meant that whatever ambitions he had for the club were finished. So rumours of the sale of the club now circulating shouldn't surprise anybody.

I would think within hours of us avoiding relegation, then things would have been put in motion for a transition of ownership. The fact that Moshiri didn't bother to attend any games when we were fighting relegation says everything about his long-term ambitions.

I did say when he sent his letter last week it lacked a lot of detail, especially as to how the new stadium was to be funded and how we could compete without the Usmanov money.

Well, now we know why he didn't address those problems – because he was in the process of selling his shares.

But even more worrying is Mike Gaynes's assessment of the possible new owners, both in financial and ethical terms as well. Also this was rubber stamped by the post by Jim Potter who actually worked for one of the potential new owners.

Whichever way you look at it, it doesn't look an appetising prospect having these people involved in our club. But we have very little input and an owner who just wants to get back some of his losses.

All very true and it now looks like Usmanov has had to jump ship and has left Moshiri to it. Now he can see his fortune diminishing and is panicking and wants out.

The whole situation is a shocking mess and the blame lies with Kenwright who has got us into it with bad decisions which only favoured himself.

He turned down good owners and found one who let him remain chairman. That was his sole concern, not the future of the club.

He actually turned down Sheikh Mansour to remain in control. We would have been competing for our 16th title next year with our new striker, Haaland. We would have been in the new stadium years ago.

The man makes me sick, and the sooner he's gone, the better.

And this is a model followed predominantly by American investors. See Arsenal, Man Utd, Burnley to name but three.

To hear then that our prospective new owners are Americans with not much cash is very concerning. To people saying 'let's just see what happens' – well, it might be too late then. Once these 'investors' have bought the club, we are stuffed.

This is the key time. We need to find out how they are financing the purchase. The club need to publicly commit not to sell on to people with no real money or experience of their own.

Kenwright is key to this. he's the fucking chairman and he needs to spell out asap that the club won't be sold to sharks.

My concern is that, whoever buys the club should put the best interests of Everton FC first, rather than it becomes a pawn in some murky financial dealings, saddling the club with even more debt.

This so-called consortium look a pretty shifty bunch to me and I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.

Why is this group getting all the publicity? Is it because of Kenyon's CV? Who are the others, anyone know anything about them?

I can feel fan protests in the air if this goes any further. I'm particularly concerned by Mike Gaynes's and Jim Potter's contributions above.

To those saying it'll be kissing goodbye to the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock – have they wondered why there's a flurry of interest from potential buyers now it's nearing a reality and boots on the pitch?

Trust me, we are not choosy as anything will be an upgrade. One of many examples: when Carlo went, our CEO was verbally paralysed and there wasn't one statement or any explanation or vision. We just closed shop, as usual.

Please name me one business or football club who would do this after a walkout like that? Unless it's an email thanking fans or a stadium update, obviously.

Steve Bannon described Thornton as a friend and mentor. These are bad people and we really don't want them or their very dirty money near our club. A lot of it is dripping with blood.

One thing about Kenyon is that he's a very savvy football businessman, reminds me of a Daniel Levy-type chairman, and who can argue that he's done wonders at Spurs. He might be hated by other clubs and supporters, but he certainly wouldn't let the club be walked over when it comes to transfers, whether it's incomings or outgoings.

You don't work at two of the biggest clubs in the world without knowing your stuff. So to me having someone who knows his football, and a shrewd businessman means maybe we will no longer be screwed over when it comes to transfer dealings.

I'm not sure what Kenyon's role would be. I've read that he just advises on takeovers (rather than getting involved in the nitty gritty afterwards)?

I'm just saying that personally I would be happy having someone with his experience involved in some capacity.

Will our squad be weaker than the one that survived by the skin of its teeth? It could well be if there is too much uncertainty at the top.

It's par for the course, though, isn't it? We have been in tangle for years now.

I can't say I am a fan of consortiums, too many cooks and all that.

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

Realistically, it's going to cost a buyer a billion to buy the club and finish the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

If Mr Moshiri cares as much as he alluded to in his letter of apology, he will not sell to unscrupulous investors.

I don't want the club to become a house of cards, debt ridden investment vehicle. It needs to be sold to the right person or people, even if that involves a slightly reduced selling fee. The future stability of the club is at stake.

He'll be on TV denying we lost the Premier League despite us finishing 10th.

Football is now a money game and big money attracts grubby people and very dodgy deals etc.< Biggest shock for everyone will be that none of them give a rat's arse to what we think either way.

I just want Everton to win football matches and enjoy going to the game, will any of the above stop that?

If 'Yes", then I might have something more to say.

Is that what we are actually seeing here?

These owners couldn't give a shit about the club they're buying, so long it provides the economic or social benefit. But the 'sportswashing guys' are happy to make a loss and pick up the tab as they're not focused on making money.

The Kenyon consortium looks like the worst of the former type – want to make dosh but don't have much to start off with.

What worries me is that they may go down the Glazer route – enormous debt put onto the club while they enjoy the dividends. When they've had enough, they pull out and the club collapses.

People want professional people at the club - but their number one concern is themselves, not us.

Difficult to point to letters written by career motivated individuals as evidence of anything, I mean look at the security chiefs who signed the letter stating Hunter Bidens laptop was not genuine.

Personally I think they are all self serving nutters who don't care about any of us.

Who are we signing?
When are the fixtures out?
What does the new kit look like?

Now these are the things that really interest me.

The relief from winning the 'get out of jail' card has long-suffering fans with far more difficult matters to contend with. Uncle Bill is in a precarious position - his solution to his lack of funds - (he was only a millionaire) has back fired big time with the club in danger of having points deducted for the actions of an Iranian accountant and his belief that a Russian oligarch was the answer to all our prayers.

Everton FC, where Dixie Dean, the Golden Vision, Alan Ball, Tommy Jones, Southall, Kendall and a myriad of others entertained us is now UP FOR SALE.

Perhaps the actions of a certain Vladimir put paid to our Iranian/Russian relationship, but it will most certainly give us all room for speculation as to who will be the next owners of the People's Club.

Have a guess and/or perm any two from the following prospective buyers - Saudis, Chinese, Americanos, Qataris - sorry no Ruskies allowed. Those are matters that will keep us all involved until the new season starts and after we have sorted out whether our mighty club should sport gay rights, betting of cat kicking sponsorship on our shirts.

Wow there is a lot to consider and then someone has thrown a past US president into the equation - who knows with a bit of luck Boris Johnson may yet nationalise Everton FC and send our dead beat foreign players to Rwanda for some special training.

Despite comments from some people that he is loosing money, as of today according to Forbes, his real time earnings are still $2.7 billion.

There may be at least 12 clubs ahead of him in rich owners, and he may be looking for investors to improve Everton's standing.

It's all speculation at the moment and it may be just to bring out richer consortiums as the Premier League seems to attract rich people.

As Everton is owned by the largest shareholder (Moshiri) with 92.16% of shares, he will be the one who decides who the new owners will be. Those who think Kenwright will make money from this, as he only holds 1.72% of shares, there will be no need for anyone to have to buy his remaining shares to become owners.

The level of hypocrisy creeping into this fanbase is quite poor. If the other lot got into bed with people linked to white supremacists and massive human rights issues, the comments would be very different.

Trump is a crook who's made a career out of surrounding himself with other crooks. When you come across somebody this close to him, the alarm bells ring.

If his first name isn't "Sheikh", we're not interested.

That apart, Bannon is a wannabe Joseph Goebels trying to turn the USA into the third reich. His acolytes are not people I want associated with the club. There are different levels of scum. A gangster who whacks a few other gangsters in post Soviet Russia is one thing, Bannon types are on a whole other level in terms of potential evil and destruction. I wouldn't say worse that the Crown Prince but at his level which in my view is already the lowest level of scum there is

This isn't a sports-based consortium. This seems to be the type of predatory capitalist Americans that frankly give us a bad name.

I don't know why, but I'm just not a fan of this. Even if the money dudes just inject the dough, and let Kenyon control the footballing side, I think these dudes could just be ruthless capitalists, and not give two shits about Everton. They smell a profit, but not the way a good businessman with morals and a heart smells a profit.

We'll see. Hopefully there's another consortium behind this initial one, because I believe without his Russian "mate", Farhad is out the door quick-like!

Those 200 Generals who signed that petition stating Biden was worthy and Trump was a loon?

Firstly, good on them!

Secondly, did they take a second poll of the 200 Generals and ask them their opinion on the Afghan withdrawal? 😜

Great work, that. [sarc]

"How we getting out?"

"Just load up the planes and make it quick!"

"What about all that equipment?"

"Fuck it. Leave it."

"What about that dude hanging from the wheel of the plane?"

Kieran #164 "Name a consortium that's worked out well?"
The Mr and Mrs Stephens consortium work nicely - she says jump and, well, you know the rest. Happy to know my place.

Due to ffp, Usmanov as long as he was not connected to Everton, could make funding through sponsorships etc, to generate extra income, which was a way of trying to get round ffp with more money available for the squad.

All that went through the window when Usmanov was sanctioned.

Since the sanctions, Moshiri has been nowhere near our club, I now fully expect Moshiri to sell up, if not now then certainly when the stadium is completed.

If new owners come in, which to be fair most of us have been wanting someone who knows how to run a football club to come in, and bring people on the board who are not second rate like the dross we have at the moment.

In that instance a clean out at the very top could be the best thing in a long time to happen to our club.

On the flip side, the people coming in like others have said could be in it just for the money, and running debts up through the banks, for all the fault of our owner and chairman, one thing they have done is kept the season tickets and younger supporters affordable, for the new owners to claw in revenue, I can see the average fan being hit hard on future ticket sales.

At the moment I am stuck in the middle.

In the cutthroat world of billionaires I think with most of them ethics goes out the window. What I would like to see at Everton is a buyer who is ambitious in the football world and not just in it for more profit on their expenditure, and has a few more billion's than Moshiri.

Probably to our detriment in terms of financial standing, but the club has kept ticket prices affordable in comparison to other big clubs. And it has been visibly notable to me how young our match going fan base is.

Obviously there are many other factors as to why we have lost ground in revenue terms and on the pitch, but give the club credit there even though it's a double edged sword.

Still catching up on some of the back and forth. Not to get weird about it but ToffeeWeb attracts a fascinating mix of supporters, no sarcasm.

It does look like Kenyon setting up to manage the football facade while the biz boyz do their vulture capitalist thing. Capitalism is a crazy ass vampire if you think about it.

How deeply Thornton was involved in these shady Trump/China deals is a matter of speculation, but he was Trump's lead trade negotiator with China.

On the other hand, as the old joke goes – the fastest way to become a millionaire is to be a billionaire that buys a football club.

Sold by a fool to knaves. If it's not these knaves there'll be others along shortly.

I think this is maybe just as well. I've had enough of holding my nose.

Moshiri bought his shares from Earl, Woods and all but 5% of Kenwright's. He then went on to buy from Arthur Abercrombie and the bulk of Lord Granchester's.

Also, it is listed that at a shareholders meeting in 2020, 100,000 new shares were raised and, in February 2021, 66,667was issued to him. He now has 92.16% of shares through his company. Blue Heaven Holding Limited.

I would really like to see who these other parties are.

It appears Kenyon's mob appear to be individually skint in modern takeover terms and more likely to do a "Bill" and saddle the Club with debt in an attempt to improve.

Hicks and Gilette, Randy Lerner, Moshiri et al revisited – what a hapless enterprise this club is.

The former CEO (who I used to like) was very candid when asked if the club was for sale – "Yes," was his answer, "but only if any new owner let Bill Kenwright remain in charge."

It bemused me as I used to think "What idiot would buy a business to let the previous (unsuccessful) guy retain control?" Well we found our idiot in Farhad Moshiri.

Fast forward years later with rumours Kenwright turned down Sheikh Mansour and every interview I heard or read from Mr Moshiri smacked of a man out of his depth and his ramblings on TalkSport were legendary and cringeworthy.

You don't become a billionaire without being a bright individual but he has trusted the likes of Joorabchian and Kenwright when he needed a strong team around him and should have left football matters to the experts.

We run this club like a charity – not a professional organisation. We have a CEO more focused on our outreach programme in the community, and we have a chairman who sees himself as a Patron Saint of Lost Causes by employing down and out ex-players and a board working without a strategy, planning, focus or direction.

I'm not getting involved in the politics here but Peter Kenyon has a track record in running a successful football club. It needs a root and branch review and clear-out. We need a strong commercial and marketing team, a powerhouse medical team, an excellent scouting network and footballing experts.

If not Peter Kenyon, then somebody else or another of the three consortiums as, quite frankly, they can't be worse than the way this great club has been run for the past 30 years!

I long to see the day Kenwright walks away for reasons we have exhausted on this site (although I doubt that is how it plays out where he actually walks away), so I welcome the opportunity for new owners providing it doesn't saddle us with debt and we can compete on the football pitch in a new stadium!!

Nobody and I mean...nobody... makes billions in this world by being honest and upstanding. Kenyon is a slimeball of the highest order of that there is no doubt.

I know nothing of the Americans, but you can bet your bottom dollar they aren't in it for the love of the game or the club for that matter.

These type of people have got what they've got by looking after their own interests and trampling on all and anyone who get in their way. They align with anyone who can make them more money and more powerful, they change their overcoats to suit their allegiances.

To quote Joe Strummer... "Taking off his turban they say is this man a jew, working for the clampdown."

I'm pissed and rambling on, stormy waters ahead again for fuck's sake.

We have lost 4 or 5 players already.

If we don't get anyone in then we are certain for relegation.

By the way, this includes a 6-week visit to China during the Biden administration.

I stick with what I said earlier, that they are all self-serving nutters. There ain't no really clean big money out there.

Who are we signing? COYB

His main achievement at Manchester United was to persuade Alex Ferguson to change his mind on retirement; hardly something which required great insight or grasp. At Chelsea he had the benefit of Abramovich's limitless funding and a hire and fire approach to managers.

Typical kick in the nuts, and more stormy waters ahead, perhaps but who knows.

If there's any credibility in this proposal based on what's in the media this doesn't strike myself as having any genuine concern for EFC, but more of a front to cover up existing enterprises, associated with the consortium.

But is it a consortium of a front to attract further interest?

For me Id stick with the Devil, we know and get BMD, built..

As ever interesting times within the Everton board room.

So a chap no-one has heard of, with no visible source of dosh… what's not to like?

I feel dirty just reading these rumours.

I'm going to bask in the relative purity of my national sport for the next month.

Do a bit more reading, Kevin. He is an investment banker.

I don't mean nobody 'on here' has ever heard of him. I mean if you Google him, it's pretty much a blank. Not the same as Moshiri, Google him 5 years ago, he had a significant backstory.

Ed, well why don't you tell us a little about his investment banking career. I'm all ears.

Honestly, the difficult part is to get the stadium plan approved. Now it's just find the right finance structure to follow it through and keep us in the PL. After the stadium is finished, a hefty profit already if the consortium decides to then sell.

I'd be surprised if there's only one interested party to buy Everton.

I don't like the guy's politics but at the end of the day, every billionaire is ruthless and makes dirty money. Usmanov is apparently Putin's favourite oligarch. So I will judge any new owners on what they do for Everton Football Club.

As much as I believe that Moshiri is clueless, it is also hard to believe that all he really had to do was get rid of Kenwright and appoint a professional board to look after the club. Even now if he made that decision it would give us all a lift.

Who Is Maciek Kaminski? US Consortium Wiki And Everton Takeover Bid

However, both Kaminski and his company are as close to ciphers as you can get in the modern world. There is no news posted, virtually no online information. The company's website is ONE page. It reads:

Talon is an integrated real estate firm specializing in office, industrial & retail properties.

There are tremendous value opportunities in real estate today. Our focus is in markets of the central United States that have strong economies and fundamentals but are overlooked by many buyers. Talon seeks to acquire properties that meet our cash flow or total return objectives in these markets.

Our board and management team bring years of valuable knowledge and experience in the real estate field and investment industry to navigate the financing, strategic planning, investing and risk management critical for emerging growth public companies.

The CEO brings 26 years of real estate experience, including capital raising, acquisitions, dispositions, brokerage and management.

That's it. Their entire website. The company's Bloomberg listing is even shorter.

What Is Asset Management? Asset management is the practice of increasing total wealth over time by acquiring, maintaining, and trading investments that have the potential to grow in value.

Asset management professionals perform this service for others. They may also be called portfolio managers or financial advisors. Many work independently while others work for an investment bank or other financial institution.

Mike – no mention of real estate.

Thornton was not Trump's lead negotiator with China. It was Robert Lighthizer who headed up the USTR at the time. Thornton was heading up Barrick Gold Corp at the time (previously president with Goldman Sachs) and acted more as a go-between.

I had the pleasure of meeting Lighthizer while I was negotiating NAFTA 2.0 (Intellectual Property Chapter) for Canada at the USTR in Washington.

I'd really rather wait and see what actually happens. Whatever it is, l hope it's for the good, unlikely as that is, in this corrupt, money-is-all business.

Why Everton struggle is because, honesty and fair play and morality that this club tries to uphold, haven't existed in this competition for a long time.

Profit, profit, profit, sell, sell, sell. The beginning of the end.

Our new stadium will not be Everton's for long.

I'll believe this when I see it headlining Fox News. Oh wait...

However. with the likes of Leeds already strengthening their squad, I'd have hoped we could have at least sorted central midfield stuff out before this got this far along… or that whilst it's going on, we hurry up and do so anyway.

The biggest danger in all of this right now is inactivity in those positions. Gbamin, Onyango and Warrington may well step in, but that would be a monster risk. We need what we've needed for years, another Barry and another McCarthy, or at least another Gueye.

I couldn't agree more Gary, it's a bit worrying as I would think any transfer business would not be happening whilst this is going on. But we are desperate for players and time is getting on.

This will shake this club to the foundations. Let the good times roll (and the heads)!

This obviously precludes any other interested parties being allowed to see what this consortium now have access to and without that information, it is very difficult for any new bidders to see exactly what the financial status of the club is.

I wonder how this will impact Lampard in the transfer market? Will he still be allowed to pursue his targets or will that have to be put on hold till the negotiations are complete? Quite often with potential new owners comes them wanting to make changes, so would Lampard be a casualty if that happens?

Usually new owners like to spend money on players and change the manager, but in our case, because of FFP, the spending will have to be somewhat curtailed. Although maybe the new owners will use the FFP as the reason they can't spend money and have to sell some prized assets.

I read that link yesterday, as I didn't have a scooby doo about Kaminski, and he's only worth about $1Bn, which is roughly about £800M. When I say 'only', I mean it's nothing when in terms of buying a football club, as I'm sure none of us would turn our noses up at $1Bn.

There simply has to be something else behind all this or, as Gavin # 228 says, is it the company and not the individual who's buying?

It should also be subject to a non-disclosure agreement, although in the world of football I'm not sure they're worth the paper they're written on, as nobody seems to be able to keep their fat gob shut.

An exclusivity period is a length of time (usually 30 to 60 days) during which a seller is prohibited from carrying out or furthering activities that relate to the sale of a firm with parties other than the prospective buyer with whom they have signed a letter of intent.

The last thing any new owner wants is us starting the season with only Gbamin, Gomes and Davies in midfield.

Kenwright hunted high and low to find Moshiri, it will be his legacy!

Despite Moshiri making an utter pigs ear of his tenure, I kind of feel sorry for him, like, he may be an idiot but he is our idiot. I'm sure I'll get over it when he's gone and hopefully the new ground will stay on track.

The godawful bunch already here need to go before the next ones come in, who I'm sure at least will be competent.

We cannot realistically improve that much with any of them in team.

That alone is totally beyond the dynamic CEO we have at the moment who's remit is to have a vision and world wide contacts.

That's a terrifying and totally alien statement down at L4 so I say bring it on. I don't care if it's Pol Pot's nephew.

Only Everton could yearn for a billionaire for years and then get a truly incompetent one when it comes to running a football club.

New owners or not, if we can get the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock built and build a team around young players who want to play for us, then I'm optimistic (again). Let's not aim for the likes of Harry Winks and repeat the same mistakes all over again.

Last season needs to be a massive wake-up call.

At the very least, it would give 'The Mousetrap' a run for its money as the longest running farce in history.

We have no-one in our media corner or very little. We list that right when we made a call to just make up the numbers especially the Sky era, to this day, sadly.

Let's hope new owners and new stadium may see the blue tide rise again eh.

On Bill's instagram is a plug for his play, Dreamboats and Petticoats, bringing on back the “good times”.

Yes you guessed it – I left a comment of mine on it.… ha ha.

To simply demonstrate to the new prospective owners that we don't want Kenwright kept on in any sort of Chairman, Executive or Board capacity.

Me as a blue, I'd just like to see those mostly under 30 who were awesome getting us over the line as fans last season. They deserve a new Everton, my lads included. I have seen and witnessed us as kings, like most on here.

Go get 'em, Mr Kenyon (or whoever)>

Highest respects for your background and your association with Mr. Lighthizer, but as you say, he was representing the United States. Thornton was not. He had no official government capacity on Lighthizer's team.

He was there, as I said, representing Trump's interests. He arranged business meetings for Bannon with top Chinese officials shortly after Bannon lost his job at the White House.

Haha good one

Don't worry, though, if they've buckets full of money, the FA won't allow it cos it's Everton – they don't want us having a second go at it.

For sure, Mike, Thornton was involved as he had those connections with China that you noted.

And surely Moshiri is not going to take the first offer that made an approach.

New stadium, massive dedicated fanbase... if I had the money, I would buy it! 😜

Apparently there are some of Moshiri's advisors suggesting he should hang tight as he could double the £500m once the stadium is completed.

Personally, although initially engaging in talks to secure stadium funding, I think he's had his head turned when mention of a buyout was tabled during those talks.

Also the suggestion that, even if he sells, he may retain a 10% stake although significant board changes are likely.

That Saudi rumour is also gaining traction.

Our business dealings seem more Cantina in nature from Star Wars, than top-end business...

Allardyce, Benitez, Silva, poor signings. His involvement over the last 6 years is the go-to guide of how not to run a Premier League club.

I will tune in to watch it on ITV+1, I will watch out for you, give me a clue what you are wearing, in case they do not put your name up.

Try to narrow it down by not saying "I am wearing an Everton top"! :-)

No doubt Mike Ashley will pop up next and rename the stadium to the Bramley-Moore Sports Direct Superbowl...

'New stadium, massive dedicated fanbase – if I had the money, I would buy it'

And don't forget the Stake sponsorship deal... how much? Eh.

Had I known how much of a Tory you are, Mister O'Neill… well!

I think they're pretending there are foxes so they can blame hunting instinct on running away from me.

Can we just have the fixture list so we can start planning?

On a serious note, having secured survival, I'd agree with John @281. Everton are a very good investment with massive potential at the moment.

If you buy Everton and run it properly, both on the football and business side, your room for growth and potential return of investment is arguably more than say Chelsea. They are already pretty much there and subsequently come at a higher premium with less room to improve on where they are now.

Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin and Pickford must stay, but we must also get the takeover done quickly in order to be in the market for our targets, also moving on some dross.

I come on here 99% to talk Everton and football.

My political persuasion is not relevant or known to you so I don't know where that came from.

Disappointed in that comment to be honest.

Doesn't stop me agreeing with you. As I just have.

But as I say, irrelevant and not known to you. I could vote Liberal, Labour or Green. You simply don't know.

The depth of naivety from some (many) posters in rushing to welcome the unknown that this consortium represents is truly and disturbingly worrying and embarrassing.

None of us (myself included) know for sure how much money these people have behind them. However, if the consensus of those who believe that they have very little (and certainly not enough to buy the Club, let alone finance player acquisitions out of their own funds) are correct, then these people are just not right for us. In fact, they shouldn't even have a seat at the negotiating table. That also goes for any other groups without the necessary to invest.

Whilst we all agree that massive mistakes have been made over the last 6 or so years, one of them wasn't not to saddle the club with debt. We must at least acknowledge that Moshiri has had the decency to spend his own money (introduced via equity) and not any that the club has borrowed. Whilst this hasn't even remotely produced the outcome any of us wanted (Moshiri included, no doubt) at least the club is financially stable. If we think the club is a mess now, can you imagine the hopeless position we'd be in if debt had been piled on?

And to think that people want the club sold to people with no money who will merely leverage the buy-in funds and further infrastructure and player investment against the club!!!!! Total madness. If unsuccessful (and I can't see how the club would suddenly become sufficiently profitable to service such debt), Administration would surely follow.

Whilst regrettably we as fans will have no input into this process, people need to have a stern word with themselves. We must be and be seen to be vocally against anything that isn't a fully funded buy-in that also provides non-leveraged funds for infrastructure and player investment.

No, I can't be absolutely certain.

Wasn't the Man Utd sale a leveraged buyout by the yanks? Who have creamed off profits for themselves while the debt they have occurred is on the club's shoulders?

Or do I misunderstand the Man Utd situation?

The Fenway Sports Group certainly has some wealthy shareholders but it is the wealth of the company that has brought stability to the teams that they own. Who is to say that Kenyon does not have a similar plan for us?

The Man Utd acquisition has been reported as having been leveraged. So much so that even after (how many years?) they are still saddled with debt.

The difference between us and them is that they were hugely successful and profitable before the acquisition whereas we are the complete opposite.

They have twice the match-paying fan base with a multiple more of expensive corporate facilities. In short, they continue to be profitable to service their continuing debt.

To start such a project at this time would be folly of the highest order (imho).

There's going to be a range of emotions this summer that we're all going to go through. It's Everton. It's the variety of views and opinions that causes agreement, debate and locking of horns.

But ultimately, we all want the same thing. So keep them coming, and keep shouting. It's what makes this site what it is. It was that passion that got us through last season and we're going to need it again next season.

All the best, mate.

Even with leveraged buyouts there are examples of it working out. Admittedly, they saddle a business with debt (like a mortgage) to be repaid over a given period. However, a good management team will develop the business and service the debt at the same time. The key, really, whatever financial model you follow, is a good management team.

We have a poor club management team in Moshiri and Kenwright. That has got us going backwards with the threat of relegation in three of the Moshiri years. They managed to stuff things up without a leveraged buyout. We might be better with a leveraged position but without Kenwright and Moshiri.

But what about Man Utd? I'd argue it's lack of strategy, lack of identity following a long-term manager, terrible aimless recruitment, poor managerial decisions and complacency that has been the problem (sound familiar?) – rather than the financial model. And even then, they're not short of commercial revenue. That side of things makes them very capable of competing.

That does not mean a leveraged buyout will work out for us. I'm just saying for balance that these things have been used to successfully turn around ailing businesses – and the key in each case is the quality of the incoming management team.

As long as they can convince a lender to commit, they stand to be quids in with very little risk. The model is the one followed by Bill Kenwright. Appoint well, hang in there, and collect after a few years. Job done.

And if the worst happens, the club drops like a stone, the company goes into administration, and back to Minnesota we go… older, wiser and no poorer.

I hope everyone realises how unlikely the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is to go ahead. The idea that Moshiri is going to walk away if they don't commit to build is fanciful. As soon as they get to the number in his head, he will be gone. And a leveraged buyout ain't gonna get the new stadium built. They will already be loaded up with debit, there just won't be the room.

I think as a fanbase we need to start communicating formally with our chairman, in a way he can't ignore. Perhaps with a letter to the Echo, addressed to him? We need an undertaking from him that he won't support a Burnley situation.

There's no point in communicating with our chairman. If this deal goes ahead he will be booted out.

Besides, I don't think he really gives a shit about Everton, it's all about himself.

The stadium will get built, simple as that.

I also agree with Ed @307, and would love for us to have real hungry, genuinely professional people, spending real time and effort, trying to get Everton back to where I feel they truly belong.

Other than spending money, Moshiri simply hasn't had the inclination to put in this required time.

That's exactly how I've been feeling and all those on here saying good riddance to our owner and get rid of Bill and Babs, be very careful what you wish for.

This tells me everything about the Kenwright era, and makes me feel sick to the stomach just thinking about it.

We have been in decline for 25 years under Kenwright and the decline has accelerated since Moshiri took over.

Understand how you feel.

I think Stephen's post #300 is the closest to reality on this thread.

I could see a situation where Kenwright and Moshiri are still shareholder and with new shareholders providing funds through access to finance. It could be Moshiri source of funds has been cut off , ie. Usmanov Sanctions. So alternative sources funds are being sourced, with equity interest as part of the deal.

Basically, whoever takes over is very unlikely to splash any cash on transfers.

That would be futile because 7 clubs can comfortably outspend us (6 of which have far superior squads already) - maybe 8 because Villa have also started spending.

What I would expect this management team to be fixated with is cost & value. That is how to service debt and develop at the same time.

In the short term it probably means selling at least one of Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison and reinvesting about 2/3rds maximum of the proceeds. That was always likely anyway, regardless of the sale.

From a transfer perspective, it would be a return to the Moyes years in many respects but, I'd hope, better use of loans (like Martinez) and low-cost foreign markets (which we persistently ignore).

This refocus on cost and value are not necessarily a bad thing for us in stabilising / improving the playing staff and bringing in the right sort of profile player to help us develop over time – maintaining top-flight status while the stadium is built (which must be a key part of this), pushing into the top half, competing for cups and Europa League qualification.

This is not very NSNO but it's a lot better than we have now.

Correction: the decline is on the pitch; off the pitch, he has put his money where his mouth is and done very very well, more than any other Chairman or Owner has done in that regard.

Unfortunately, our Chairman and CEO have failed the owner misserably, unless of course he is meddling in the background.

My daughter's partner has supported Crewe Alexander all his life with nothing to show for it and he accepts that his club will have ups and downs and doesn't moan too much about the reality. Maybe us Evertonian need a reality check and perhaps more patience.

Do I want more expertise in our boardroom? Of course.

Do people make mistakes at the top? Of course.

Can you honestly say our new owners who pay £500M for the club will pay another £400M and finish the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock?

Can you also expect them to love the club and feel the pain like we do?

How would you feel if they take a loan out to buy us and have to service that debt every year so there is even less money to spend?

As you say our club may have won nowt for 27 years but there is no guarantees. So I say again, be careful what you wish for.

However, from what I have read to date about Kenyon and his backers, it could be even more tough times ahead if Moshiri sells up to these guys – I don't think it will happen.

I have always said Moshiri was in it for the money, but it could be that he has totally fucked it up for himself and the club will be at the mercy of packs of wolves, interested in only one thing – Money!

Tosun from Turkey
Vlasic from Croatia
Nkounkou from France
Mykolenko from Ukraine
Besic from Hungary
Mirallas from Greece
Gbamin from Germany
Klaassen from Holland

I think there are loads more. Are these markets not foreign enough? Or are most of them just crap?? Or just the ones we seem to pick???

Look at the current squad and where we've been really spending money. 9 players with big fees / wages acquired from the Premier League - with Gomes and Mina from Spain, Allan from Italy and Gbamin from Germany. It's been neither imaginative nor cost effective.

This year's best of the rest, West Ham, by contrast have just one such signing in their squad - Kurt Zouma. Maybe two if you count Issa Diop.

I would say that indicates we've been fruitlessly shopping in M&S and persistently overlooking the low cost / value offered by Aldi (with a few exceptions).

He has, after all, made a fortune from ripping off Moshiri and he does have a history of getting his way by means of deceit.

It's ridiculous to suggest that Kenwright and our recent CEOs, Barrett-Baxendale and Elstone have failed the club, while giving the majority shareholder a free pass. Moshiri is every bit as culpable, if not moreso, for our failings. It is he who holds the power to reappoint those positions and therefore the buck stops with him. Any mistake Kenwright or Barrett-Baxendale makes is equally the fault of Moshiri.

I suppose that the risk from a leveraged buyout depends upon how the loans are structured. If they are long-term, like corporate bonds, then the risk is not great.

It appears that clubs like Wigan, Bolton, Derby, Bury, and possibly now Burnley, are in trouble because the debt was short-term, the creditor got cold feet and called in the loan which resulted in bankruptcy.

Moshiri has done the right thing up to now by issuing stock to himself rather than loans which I think means that he cannot cut and run but that might change with stadium financing. Borrowing for the stadium against expected income and getting relegated is not a nice scenario.

One possibility is that it ends with Everton not owning it but occupying under a long-term or permanent lease... and forced to do so by use of safety and other regulations being brought to bear on any idea of staying at Goodison, if this should rear its head as an option in the myriad permutations ahead. Nothing is off the table now, I fear.

Buckle up for the inevitable wild ride.

Pete 333 - True Blue Holdings 2.0 is definitely scary. I wouldn't put it past the bastard,

“The club has announced today the conversion of a £100 million loan to the club into equity which is a clear demonstration of my commitment and greatly strengthens the balance sheet."

So the club owes zero debt to Moshiri.

What leads you to believe that the stadium won't be completed for £500 million? Or it won't be owned by the club?

Do you think it'll now be done on the cheap? Is there evidence to suggest that?

The design has been agreed and I think the cost locked in with Laing O'Rourke, hasn't it?

Kenwright turns 77 this summer and has apparently retired (hasn't produced anything in 4 years). He has reportedly experienced poor health and, as we all know, has no great wealth of his own.

I would be absolutely astonished if he's one of Moshiri's suitors.

He's been saying that he's ill for years but he's still there and with that – why didn't he just retire then, just to give us all some hope?

I went to see Bob Dylan a few years ago in Perth. He was about 74 I think (although actually looked about 174) but he was still singing (if you call it 'singing' ). He actually clung to the big speaker all through his show which I assume was helping him stay on his feet.

I could never compare these two because Dylan is a legend and I love him but Bill clings to Everton like Dylan did to that speaker.

Past history means I'll be surprised if it comes in at £500M (which was optimistic to begin with, I believe). "Locked in" it may be (and I haven't studied the details of that), but if it came to the threat of not being finished, then more would be needed, and it would have to be found by someone.

Ownership of the stadium by other parties is a possibility down the road, it depends how any potential takeover proceeds and develops. Unlikely should big bucks and stability be available (and useable), but I don't know that's the case with this consortium. I'm just speculating really.

Mike – I know you're talking relatively but I wouldn't mind being at the same no great wealth level as Kenwright.

I got distracted, but that really winds me up.

Everyone on here and everyone who knows me also knows how much I love Goodison. But the fact there is suddenly so much interest in us now that building has started tells me how much of a millstone the Grand Old Lady and the board has been around our neck for decades and held us back.

Now the opportunities are there. Or the vultures are circling. Take your pick. Personally, I just want the season to start.

And we have a pre-season in Baltimore prior to that.

Bill Kenwright has not retired as a theatre producer, and as far as I understand (my girlfriend is an actor's agent) he and his company have various projects in development and in production right now.

And what makes you think he hadn't produced anything in 4 years? He produced pretty successful runs of Hamlet and The Cherry Orchard – both starring Sir Ian McKellen – this time last year (and which got a lot of media attention) as well as various other touring shows since then.

I'm genuinely curious what led you to post such ill-informed “facts”?

He's the football equivalent of the arch bastard Prime Minister we now have to endure – full of shit, lies and evasion as our club, like our country, plumbs new depths of despair.

Trebles all round in the West fucking End? … Fuck Rright Off!!

We have on one hand a board that borders on incompetent and an owner with more money than sense. It was always going to be a financial disaster for him.

Then a "strategic review" to put right the ills – caused by the very same people undertaking the review – beyond a joke.

Moshiri carries the can, his money, but the board are culpable. They carry the blame; Moshiri was taken for a ride.

Fast-forward… I still believe Moshiri is looking at the same model Kenwright adopted, not "selling" the club, but looking for inward investment. So selling equity, a portion of shares.

For any new buyer, they need to have 75% of shares for full control of the club to change constitutions and like, which means Moshiri would still have a stake of 20% in the pot or thereabouts.

So why is this lot interested? Money… property and investment. Money makes money. The iconic piece of real estate, once built, will vastly increase the value of the club; how much? Probably at least double or more… speculation?

These guys want to buy low, sell high. No interest in the club other than financial profit, it would appear, no experience other than real estate, asset management and investment. Unless you count in the front guy Kenyon… but that's not running a club.

No, I would have been happy with the board replaced, inward investment for Moshiri… but these guys have a short-term, asset-stripping feel… no love for sports, Everton, the club etc – just money.

If we are up for sale, Moshiri really needs to play this out for genuine interested parties rather than a fire sale to recover losses.

Make no mistake, though, the reason we are in this mess has never changed, and until the board and Chairman is replaced, we are at the mercy of opportunists of Kenyon-esque consortiums.

One last point, I am fed up to the back teeth of listening to fans saying "be careful what you wish for.. " – We have to move on; hindsight will always finds issue and fault, but we need to get out from under the bus driven by this board and find a way forward, looking forward rather than back.

Standing still is not an option anymore. Opportunities need to be balanced against risk but fear of failure causes inertia and bigger failures down the road.

Yes, I feel this is swapping well-meaning idiots for sharks. Hopefully it will flush out some bigger rich idiots who have enough self-awareness of their ineptitude to appoint a David Dein type.

As far as Kenyon (sounds a lot like Kenwright) is concerned, he's just the frontman as he was with Wolves so there's no guarantee he will stick around to give us the benefit of his “expertise”.

Aside from all that, with interest rates skyrocketing, why was it we turned down the bond scheme from the jailed ex-mayor? Looks silly now if you overlook his plight and the investigation into the bidding process.

From my own industry, when that deal was floated, you could get a US mortgage at 2% APR. Now the average is close to 6% and expected to rise tomorrow. That bond deal seems an opportunity lost.

"He shall not, he shall not be moved..."

Pete #342, whether he is ready to retire from Everton (and why would he want to, since he obviously loves his job) has nothing to do with whether he has the energy, connections and wherewithal to assemble a £500 million buyout bid.

Will #343, me neither, but he's not quite as well off as, say, Qatar or Saudi Arabia.

Alas he has discovered a formula right under his nose, the Kenwright model. Get parties with access to finance, maintain a minority shareholding (reportedly 10%), sell your original discounted shares and converted loan stock financed with questionable fund sources at a huge profit, through a shareholders agreement, maintain Board representation (the second-highest paid, not performance-based, in the Premier League) and then piss about looking for DNA to run the Club.

It all has happened before. Only at Everton. By the way, there is no mention of Bill selling his shares, and he does have this thing with Man Utd that nearly got us Marcus Rojo twice.

This saga has been going on that long, it's like being in a treadmill that one can't get off.

I wonder if it was the amazing coming together of our fans that has excited interest from parties that have now realised or remembered that we have potential, passion and determination?

I am as cynical as the next man but perhaps our great escape has given us a better future.

Well said, I feel exactly the same. The sooner that reptile has cleared his desk, the better. He's a jonah, a leech, and a pariah. Oh and also an embarrassment.

The other part of me says though that self-titled greatest Evertonian isn't going anywhere soon. Great blue, yeah sure, never paid to get in a game in his life. Unlike us poor suffering fools.

Never paid to get in a game in his life.

How can you possibly know that to be true?

If it's not misinformation on this site it is miscomprehension.

My post was just an attempt to add a bit of fact to some misguided fancy, and yet apparently I am defending Kenwright and applauding him. See me after class for some basic reading comprehension pointers.

Jeez…

Mike (350) - Thanks for responding. Your friend was leading you a merry dance about the lack of productions in the last 4 years.

What a sensible and well-reasoned post. Sums it up perfectly – this lot are after a big profit on the stadium development and won't be interested in the football.

It's very strange that Kenwright always suffers from poor health, close to death's door one time, when Everton are performing very poorly (no pun intended). But when we are doing okay, he's out in front with a big smile for everyone, not that he fools some of us.

I don't wish him any harm but I do wish that he'd just “Fuckin' do one!”

You would think that having a new manager and a new DoF and having just avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth, what was really needed was stability. But it seems the club will be thrown into turmoil as Moshiri – despite his diatribe that he sent out – is looking to get out and doesn't much care who he sells to. Again, looking at those involved, another group who know nothing about football or running sporting clubs.

The loyal fans who, like me, paid our season ticket money months ago, not even sure what division we would be in, or what players may be left after a fire sale. So all that anguish and heartache we put ourselves through was for nothing as we are now searching even deeper depths for new owners.

This uncertainty will make players uncertain and even those who may have stayed will be looking for a way out. We have no idea if Lampard and his coaches will be here next season, maybe they will feel as cheated as the fans who went through so much last season.

So typically Everton, when the fanbase has never been more united, they now throw us into more uncertainty which may impact on the solidarity of the fanbase, I really hope not.

So yes, Eddie, I'm sure that raised a few eyebrows towards the end of last season and attracted attention. Newcastle? Who are they? Take their tops off and proclaim to be as big as Manchester United and have the Sky luvvies drool over them. On the basis of what? That is beyond me.

When we get going, no-one can match us. You could visibly see the near shock on the Sky generation media pundits after each match as it wasn't Newcastle or those loveable (despicable) reds. They didn't know how to react so resorted to practically calling us hooligans because of the relief-based outpouring of sheer emotion after the Palace match.

We took ownership and that had such an impact on the team and I'm not getting overly emotional or going over the top. It cannot and should not be underestimated. The real owners of Everton are us. We are the constant. We will be here as long as we all have a breath to breathe. I'm still going to be there after that.

Great post, Christine, and I agree with both you and Dave. I've said before, I don't necessarily have an issue with Moshiri. I don't have an issue if he wants to own but let others run it for him.

But put competent people in place to do that, not those who saw him coming and went on a wild spending spree with his money and no strategy.

That's where he's at fault though. If you own, you must set the strategy and give direction. Then you can step back. Step in when you need to steer the ship but leave the people you trust to deliver on the strategy and plan.

Stadium aside, he failed to have a strategy, presumably trusting the wrong person(s) who have failed for decades on the football and business side.

It's just a personal view, but I would rather he stuck around to see the stadium out; he deserves that as his legacy.

Just get rid of this incompetent board and get people in who can run a business and a football club on your behalf. Despite being on the fence initially, I'm quite optimistic on the coaching side. I don't know why, but I have a gut feeling about the DoF appointment.

I know I'm being overly simplistic and I fear, worry, have optimism & hope (I know that's contradictory), but it seems Moshiri is scarred by the whole experience and is ready to walk.

Whose hands we end up in is anyone's guess. Let's stay together. That's the only thing we can control.

I did say I hope having new owners wouldn't split the fanbase, because the unity of the fans home and away which I have been lucky to witness has been the best thing that's happened to this club in a long time.

But the appointments of Allardyce and Benitez nearly destroyed any unity, and there have been several questions raised by Mike Gaynes over the new prospective owners.

That's why I worry if they are seen as asset strippers like Hicks and Gillette were, then that will certainly impact on the unity of the fans.

Albeit, he still wants to cut the ribbon for the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock as his legacy, which is fair enough, plus keep 10% stake.

What assets would they strip if they pay £500m for the club, then an extra £500M to build and finish the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock??? Particularly if Moshiri keeps his word about contractually obliging the stadium build (I doubt LCC would ever allow a repurpose after losing Unesco Workd Heritage Site status over it, and Liverpool ain't buying it after pouring all that money into their lopsided new stands).

Don't think there is any logic in people stating that new investors would neglect or strip the football side… what use would the stadium be if we end in the Championship or below?

How would a £1Bn business plan work with a loss of the £75M+ per annum in Premier League revenue??

It just wouldn't and doesn't make sense.

Real questions like “Can they run us sustainably?” and “Can they develop and bring in new revenue streams or invest personally?” are entirely valid questions, of course, but I don't think it's right to suggest an asset strip motivation without logic or evidence for it (Hicks & Gilette were very different as Liverpool had much bigger annual and profitable revenue).

I also think that taking Mike Gaynes's “But they are mates with Trump” as any more of a barometer for feeling than “but Usmanov is Putin's mate”.

Simple fact is, most of us really don't give a shit, we just want them to get us at the right end of the table and competing. As long as they're not chopping off heads and hanging gay folk of course (hey, Toon!) then most will be good.

Key question is, can they run us correctly? If Kenyon is going to take over and do it, I'd be pretty certain the answer is yes… but the devil is in this level of detail of course.

Kenwright has definitely not retired. In fact, he has just bought a major theatre from Andrew Lloyd Webber which includes a restaurant and bars. It is named The Other Palace.

By the way, Mike, you can have your grain of salt back – everything I said has been proved correct, lol.

When a consortium with no experience of the business it makes a bid for, then common sense would dictate they have a reason for buying it. Given their background in real estate, asset management and finance, it's reasonable to believe these are the main drivers behind their interest.

Are they even interested in football? Or even in sports management, or anything sports related? Because l couldn't find a thing.

I am not talking about the front man, Kenyon, his job is the introductions, the background, but I doubt he would have any involvement other than sitting on the board as their representative. That's his skin in the game, to add credibility.

Where does that leave us as supporters? Frankly, wondering why the heck they are involved, except for short-term profit made from the potential increase in value, especially if it's a leveraged buyout, which, given their background, is a distinct possibility!

Profit in real estate is made when you buy, not when you sell, getting the club at a fire sale for a quick turnover spells trouble. That's the concern, justified or not.

Thank God it is underway or we'd be well and truly hamstrung at Goodison for the foreseeable and not an attractive club to any potential investors.

Somebody earlier described Moshiri as an idiot but our idiot. If he hadn't been with us, the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock would never have happened. We have to thank him for getting it moving and so I agree, he is ours and deserves some credit.

Moshiri, like our current suitors, saw potential profit in the real estate at Bramley-Moore Dock, leaving the footballing side to his new friend, Bill. Now, seeing the error of his ways, he wants to get his money out or limit his risk, especially as his mate has been sanctioned by governments.

Luvvy Bill has no doubt advised him to seek investment rather than an outright sale, his very own approach… but is it a step too far???

We had the former in Moshiri, but the combination of timing (ladder pulled up by FFP rules), and poor judgement (Farhad and Bill = Laurel and Hardy) meant we blew it.

Kenyon's consortium is most definitely not the latter. No experience whatsoever in sports management, lots of dodgy background, no interest in football – if it quacks, it's probably a duck. And this duck really does look undesirable.

Still, not much we can do about it for now. Moshiri owns us, if he wants to sell us, them – unless it's to Putin himself – the authorities are not going to step in to stop him.

My gut feeling is that it won't happen. Moshiri wants to keep a percentage, and anyway the American investors just look way too flakey to pull this off.

My only concern is whether it muddies the waters over the transfer window. We need certainty, we need professionalism, we need a clear plan.

Maybe if Farhad Moshiri wants to retain the 20% suggested by Christine @ 347, gets £400million for the shares he sells, and the above scenario plays out, then he will be quids in again.

We just have to stay in the Premier League – that's the risk.

1) Your “let's pretend Kenyon is not involved so we can pretend they know nothing about football” stance is one of the most bizarre I've ever seen on any subject on the web.

2) Moshiri knows nothing about football – it's why he uses advisors like Kia Joorabchian. Let's face it, they couldn't do any worse, even if Kenyon is just a front!

3) What's in it for them?

a) Grow us to a value closer to Chelsea?
b) Door to further development opportunities on the North Docks……

I suspect that's really what Moshiri and Usmanov wanted, and if they achieve either, then good luck to them.

4) Leveraged buy-out?

a) Moshiri has saddled us with debt
b) FFP means all debt must be serviceable… or we get points deducted and end up losing £75M a year.

Even if they could “loan the lot”, why would they then deliberately default and what evidence is there they would???

Finally, expecting a billionaire “Jack Walker” to just come in and throw us £1Bn is not only naive, but impossible today. Very much doubt whether there's another Abu Dhabi or Saudi state that fancies competing with them.

Be careful what you wish for? Stagnation and default under an Usmanov-less Moshiri, or role the dice on a new and fresh vision? The latter for me, please

(All being said… I'd still want more detail on the money bits and plans, of course.)

The problem is that performance on the pitch is also necessary to maintain a healthy and viable football business, which all the parties involved appear to have no plan for, being very much financial manipulation orientated. I think Moshiri had this same problem. He would not be talking to this consortium if they didn't think the same as himself.

Gary #375,

Moshiri did not saddle Everton with debt, but this consortium could. Moshiri actually paid off Everton's debt on taking Everton over and gave loans, which were later converted into shares. Selling these shares would be the way for Moshiri to get his money back.

Personally, I believe that, if Kenwright had been prepared to lease King's Dock, we'd be sat where Man City are now, and I have no doubt we would have offered Paul Gregg more than enough for him to profit, and us to re-own it, and still be good enough commercially for getting players like Haaland.

However, I agree we'd need to be careful we didn't end up in the situation you describe. I'd hope that buying both together would make it very difficult for the new owners to sell off just the team, as any new buyer would surely then at least want long-term fixed rent agreeing!

Sure, they could do some clever sub-company scheme but, if they don't invest in the football side, there would be no club to rent the shiny stadium off them anyway.

I get the impression he will never voluntarily "do one" until or unless it is dictated by the new ownership.

I'm sure I read that the new owners of Chelsea have said they want to be using their new stadium (when they build) all year round for different events, so that might be plausible, Pat?

I remember listening to Rick Parry explaining that, as long as the football club take all their revenue, why do they really have to own the stadium? And it did make a lot of sense to me...

Kaminski stays out of the public eye and there is little information about him on the internet. His asset management company information talks about diversification and it is likely that having money in a profitable team fits the bill.

If you ignore the way that Everton has been run for the past 25 years and focus on the size of the market and the passion of the fans, then Everton probably looks like a good investment, similar to Newcastle.

The London and Manchester teams would command high prices and may be seen as having less growth potential.

Leveraged Buy-ins are so frowned upon as being a really poor mode of acquisition. So much so that until the Companies Act 2006 was fully enacted, provision of Financial Assistance by a company to enable purchase of its own shares was illegal. There was a get out for Private companies however commonly known as a 'whitewash'. This is where the directors swore a Statutory Declaration that the company was solvent (ie could pay its debts as they fell due) both at the date the Financial Assistance was given and also for a year afterwards. Get this wrong and the directors were personally liable and could even go to jail.

The CA 2006 removed the necessity for a whitewash for private companies - a really bad move in my book. However the illegality still remains for Public companies.

It is interesting to consider why the difference between Public and Private companies. In essence Private companies are typically controlled by a small group of shareholders who are often very well known to each other and more often than not part of the same family. Therefore they are closer to the action and can better understand and influence such matters as Financial Assistance. Whereas Public companies have a myriad of investors (stakeholders) who often have limited or no knowledge of such matters and are not therefore in a position to influence.

And this is the point: whilst football clubs are often Private companies and could therefore offer Financial Assistance, I would argue that purely by virtue of the often many (tens or hundreds of) thousands of non-shareholding stakeholders (ie the fans), football clubs should be treated as a special case - as if they were Public companies. Of course this would need legislation to be effective but this should be the primary objective of a government-backed Football Regulator.

In conclusion, leveraged acquisitions should be avoided like the plague.

A state-of-the-art stadium like at Bramley-Moore Dock would have many uses such as different sports (eg, American football), concerts, conventions, etc, with EFC being one user.

If the club doesn't retain ownership of the stadium, it risks being hollowed out and becoming a tenant with BMD effectively becoming a cost centre rather than a profit centre.

Maybe this is the future model investors want but I have serious concerns about EFC becoming an expendable tenant without its own permanent home.

(The only sports team I know of in that category is Manchester United, currently trading at an all-time low on Nasdaq.)

I'm not familiar with the precise definition of US Public company but your description fits the UK definition pretty well. Also the Financial Assistance prohibition in the (UK) Companies Act only applies to UK companies.

I guess the Glazers aren't really bothered about the Manchester United share price at the moment because when the debt will have been paid down (via profits from the trading company), they will have obtained the company for free.

Some people have already mentioned Paul Gregg, and unless Martin Mason can come on and prove otherwise, Kenwright lost us the chance of being the residents of a great stadium in the Kings Dock for getting on to a couple of decades.

Gregg also was keen (it would appear) to take over the club and it was Kenwright who suddenly found a True Blue in Thailand or somewhere, by the name of Samuelson I think, who had lots of funds (allegedly) and – believe it or not – the cheque was in the post!

I think Mr Moshiri has made mistakes (some major) but, to me, his biggest one was leaving the world's greatest Evertonian in charge!

I hope, if there is any further development in the proposed investment, fronted by Peter Kenyon, it is as Partners, not a takeover. What Mr Moshiri has seen is Kenwright hardly uttering a word in public when we had all the bad times this last season; but it was Mr Moshiri who wrote to us all and apologised for what had happened during his ownership.

The letter seemed, to me, to show that he is fully intending to see the new stadium built, and ensuring that the funds will be in place to build our stadium.

Naive, I suppose… but I don't see the group involved as a bunch of shysters; but at least two very hard-nosed businessmen who have held the most senior posts. One in the world's biggest mining company and the other in one of the biggest investment banks in the world. I would make a guess to say that they have close contact with some extremely rich men and will be active in getting our club investment in the stadium and the team.

So, my hope is that Mr Moshiri stays and brings in partners who know all about investment and business opportunities that are going to mushroom once the stadium is ready. I also think that our Chief Executive Officer could be replaced by Peter Kenyon and our Chairman be booted out on his arse and replaced by a professional businessman as Chairman.

I always thought that one problem with Gregg and Kings Dock deal was that Gregg wanted the future income from any concerts at Kings Dock for himself in return for financing the stadium build, and buying the club. Something like that.

I'm happy to be corrected if that's inaccurate.

The city of Liverpool back in the day had more potential than the city of Manchester.

Sadly, I say that in the past tense, with regret and in hindsight. Somewhere along the way, both Everton and the city lost their way to allow local rivals who were arguably lesser take over and bypass them. We stood still, which is akin to walking backwards.

Some of that can be apportioned to neglect by the various regional and national authorities, but I'm not afraid to look in the mirror. Some of it has to be apportioned to an inward-looking mentality and rest-on-our-laurels attitude. Not all, but collectively over the years and particularly those in control. Our leaders, if you can call them that.

It's hardly as though Manchester City and the city of Manchester are hugely different in terms of roots and background. But they reinvented themselves. City are now consistently Champions of England and one of the biggest names in football with the best manager in Europe (the world) playing in a modern stadium.

Manchester is the de-facto second city of the UK, regardless of what Birmingham says. It has a truly international airport, the largest in terms of traffic volume outside of London in the UK. Not just a budget airline hub.

Liverpool (the city) still has massive potential. Everton are part of that with the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock. Imagine what that waterfront will look like from Otterspool Promenade to the Albert Dock to the 3 (now 4) Graces and then the regenerated northern docklands with the new stadium looking out to greet the world as they enter the Mersey Estuary. And that monorail I keep going on about as a tribute to the old Docker's Umbrella.

The spin-offs will be fantastic to the city and the local region, which is why Everton is a great investment opportunity. And that is notwithstanding our support base, heritage and stature as a big football club with huge potential on the football pitch.

I think that's how Moshiri saw it, although it was all muddled together with a football vanity project.

Since there are now 7 much richer clubs, I don't think anyone will come in with a view to a transfer spending spree.

All buyers / investors will be looking at other things – maybe non-football related things.

Moshiri may be culpable of entrusting the club to Billy Bullshit but not much more. I've a feeling he saw the bullshitter was out of his depth and appointed Benitez because he was fed up with the shite he was being fed.

Let's hope Billy Bullshit is kicked out asap.

From what I have read about that, it was the people backing Gregg that were the ones who promoted large concerts and wanted the money from any put on at the Kings Dock.

What was one of Kenwright's arguments was that Everton would only have 49% of shares and Gregg and his backers had 51% and that would enable them to do it. I don't believe that was the major problem that it was never built.

Thanks for the response, Bill. I think Kenwright's 'argument' may have been him seeing his trainset (and wedge) disappearing if the Greggs etc were in a position to outvote him. A missed opportunity though, just the same.

Totally agree with your comments.

The one thing certain to emerge from this proposed takeover is the long, long overdue termination of Kenwright's disastrous chairmanship.

I think history will judge both Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright as you outline but don't bet against Kenwright pulling some of his media friends out of the woodwork to smear that storyline in his favour and secure his naming rights to a stand in the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

But Everton front and centre of it.

I don't know about not breaking the mould. I know you don't say that. But in my lifetime, there has been a big 5 (Everton being a member of that firm), then a top 4, a top 6 and now a 7 presuming we are placing Newcastle in that category.

But, looking back, if you'd have told me Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle were going to be in that club, I'd have laughed you out of town.

Never say never. Anything is possible if you keep believing.

One day they fly and that time is coming.

But part of that means taking time to develop a poor squad and, I desperately hope, a massive emphasis on the academy and youth development.

As you say, football fortunes ebb and flow. We just need to get our shit together so we can capitalise when others start to decline.

It's been said a dozen times, I know, but I am totally convinced that Moshiri (and his ex-gaffer) have followed the Randy Lerner School of Football Management to the full and that, after a relegation near miss, his final season before selling up will be the one that brings relegation.

I believe Kenyon ('the tyre kicker') went in for Villa but nothing came of it and only when Chinese money showed interest, was the Credit Card magnate able to forge a deal. And by then, Villa were in the Championship!

So patience is required whilst the final scenes of our club's demise are enacted – although what the hell will happen over the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, god only knows. But, like the Midlanders, we will rise from the ashes, I'm sure.

I think that, without Mr Moshiri, our club would have been well and truly flattened.

I think you're right.

While I give consideration to your point of him being a saviour, Jim, he was here only as the sideman to Usmanov and has shown no character to be thought of as anything but self-interested. That his motives aligned with an opportunity at Everton allowing us to possibly get to a new stadium at BMD was fortuitous and not in any way magnanimous.

This statement alone should have seen the Chairman removed, but unfortunately he's still standing, but hopefully he hasn't got long left!🤞

I supported Benitez while he was here. You don't win the European Cup twice amongst other trophies, by being a duff manager. But he's gone and I think Frank is a young manager with a good team, so I'm happy with him.

I just hope that Moshiri does bring in the partners rather than sell the club, then Kenwright will definitely be on his way – and half the bloody Board with him!

I'm sure you'll remember, we didn't have a pot to piss in, nor the remotest chance of building a stadium, even if we could have found a ground other than Kirkby's "Free World Class stadium" or possibly Cronton Colliery!

So I respect your view but, to me, Mr Moshiri wanted to get involved with our club. Don't forget – there were others.

I'll be happy if he stays as owner but even happier that we get new investors as well. And I'm havin' a street party when Kenwright is booted out of EFC,

Obviously there's self-interest involved, because he also thought it was a good investment, but he's certainly not a Glazer who's in it for the skim rather than the winning.

Furthermore, I've never seen anything odious or untrustworthy in his blunders -- merely overconfidence and incompetence.

Moshiri hasn't been much of an owner, but nobody can convince me that he has ever had subversive motives. And I think his public apology -- unique for a billionaire sports team owner -- showed character.

He may be bad at his job, but I consider him good people. And at least one of those trying to buy the club from him is most definitely not good people.

You were right. But the internal politics of Everton supersedes achievement on the pitch. Even this suggested takeover reeks of internal politics.

Moshiri did act in good faith and did not saddle Everton with debt, but he also has been the victim of internal politics. It seems that he is about to become more arm's length than before. He saw Everton as an investment and only became involved when his money went South.

Kenwright will have a say in how the Club is run, takeover or no takeover. He will be working overtime to get parties interested that he wants and to suppress any protests.

Everton's ambitions will be Premier League survival only, as they have been for years.

That being the case, manager Lampard will be under massive pressure to get the season off to a good start in order to keep his job under the ridiculously impatient Moshiri – with the World Cup break likely to be the limit of his tolerance. I wonder how long us ToffeeWebbers will give him?

Yes, the mind boggles!

Takeover fever at Everton, Thornton Toffees on offer, anyone? – The Esk Podcasts

As for our favorite owner, I'm not sure I would go as far as to say that he is ill-motivated since it is more a case of how he works himself into jams and then fails in the most basic of communication responsibilities.

This is where I think he is a bit of a creep, he looks too quickly to turn a position over rather than build up steadily. He really never had a football plan, he simply thought he could keep us up while he pursued his preferred plans.

From a report in The Athletic (Greg O'Keefe) yesterday.

You and many others know my feelings on the guy, cannot wait for the Day he departs from our club, I will certainly show him the good times when he does go.

A couple of jd and coke in and I will throw a moon walk in, when that great Day comes.